BC Racebook Newsletter - January 17, 2024
Cherie Paskaruk and Told Ya Fred. Photo Standardbred Canada
Bailey On The Backstretch
by Bailey Williams
Cherie may not have been born in a barn, but it didn’t take her long to venture and find her way to one.
In 2007 her mom moved the family to a horse farm in Abbotsford where Cherie decided to make the most of her new living situation. Spending time in the barn, she met Grant Hollingsworth who took the eager 15-year-old under his wing.
In the years following, Cherie would spend her weekends working and learning the art of racing while finishing school. A horse she owned part of who taught her all about racing was Told Ya Fred. After becoming sole owner of Fred, she raced him several years before retiring him and training him as a riding horse. “Honestly, I just loved him so much,” she remembers, ranking him as one of her all-time favourites.
The winter break at Fraser Downs is coming to an end and the 2024 harness meet is fast approaching. Now a foreman for the Dave Hudon barn, Cherie is hustling around the barn every morning and in the paddock every race night. When asked for her insight on horses coming off a great season and well-deserved break, Cherie mentioned a couple horses topping her list of noteworthy competitors coming into 2024. “Sunset Rider, My Little Gingean, Forever Furley and Keeps Getting Bettor are all my top picks,” she confided, providing a little tout from a girl who spends her days loving and caring for her horses.
If You Are Looking To Bet on Woodbine Mohawk
During The Off-Season at Fraser Downs..
by Dawn Lupul
For those of you who don’t know me, I used to work at Woodbine. I spent many hours analyzing the Thoroughbreds, and a good deal of time with the Standardbreds as well. Here are some quick thoughts to help you with your handicapping in the winter months at Mohawk.
1- Watch the flags. The wind can be extremely powerful at Mohawk and will affect the finishes of races. When the wind is abnormally strong down the backside, horses from off the pace tend to have an effective closing kick in the stretch. Speed horses can be tired from battling the headwind. This isn’t a rule that works all the time, but it can help point out some good prices with strong closers. Horses with speed can hold on longer when the wind blows the other way.
2- Posts 8-10 are tough to win from. This seems obvious, but it’s interesting how bettors don’t give this the importance it deserves. The best use of this knowledge is to spend the time identifying horses who were bet down from an outside post and didn’t race particularly well. When they draw better, they are usually an overlaid price and value is what we are always looking for.
3- Class moves are huge. A horse dropping a condition usually has a competitive edge. Look at the purse amount a horse raced for in his last few starts, and if the race he is entered in is for less money, he is usually getting into a softer spot. Many of these types can be over bet, but sometimes a horse with darkened form will drop down and pop at a fair price.
These are just some quick examples of things to look for when playing Woodbine Mohawk. The Pick 4’s tend to pay well and are worth a shot. I also have luck with superfectas, strangely enough. Find the bets where you personally excel and focus your play there.
The good thing about betting is there are many options. You don’t need to be an expert at everything, but being good at a couple of things can be enough to get you a profit consistently. Whether you are playing Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, or football, the goal is the same – to win and make money!
